Sheet and strip flattening machine

ABSTRACT

A sheet and strip flattening machine, has vertical guideways spaced apart laterally by an upper connecting bridge and lower frame base formed with horizontal guideways. Upper rolls are carried by the upper bridge. Two pairs of wedges are movably disposed in the frame base and are slidable laterally in the horizontal guideways by rotating two screws engaged with the wedges or by moving the screws axially. Two guide members formed with upper cylindrical parts and lower V-shaped are slidably carried by the wedges. A yoke is formed with bottom recesses nested on the guide members. Lower rolls are carried by the yoke. Vertical movement of the yoke and lower rolls is performed by rotating both screws simultaneously. Lateral tilting of the yoke and rolls is done by moving both screws axially. Longitudinal tilting of the yoke and rolls in a vertical plane is done by rotating either one of the screws. The guide members can each be formed of two parts, a cylindrical part and a separate bearing block.

United States Patent Munchbach [151 3,704,615 [451 Dec. 5, 1972 [54] SHEET AND STRIP FLATTENING MACHINE [72] Inventor: Curt Munchbach, Pforzheim-Sonnenberg, Germany [73] Assignee: Ungerer, T rma, Germany [221' Filed: June 15, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 153,327

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 791,979, Jan. 17,

1969, Pat. N0. 3,626,736.

[52] US. Cl ..72/165 [51] Int. Cl. ..'.....B21d 1/02 [58] Field of Search.....- ..72/l63, 165

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,796,908 6/1957 Shields ..72/165 X 3,477,266 11/1969 Fornataro ..72/l65 Primary Examiner-Milton s. Mehr' AttorneyPolachek, Saulsbury and Hough ABSTRACT A sheet and strip flattening machine, has vertical guideways spaced apart laterally by an upper connecting bridge and lower frame base formed with horizontal guideways. Upper rolls are carried by the upper bridge. Two pairs of wedges are movably disposed in the frame base and are slidable laterally in the horizontal guideways by rotating two screws engaged with the wedges or by moving the screws axially. Two guide members formed with upper cylindrical parts and lower V-shaped are slidably carried by the wedges. A yoke is formed with bottom recesses nested on the guide members. Lower rolls are carried by the yoke. Vertical movement of the yoke and lower rolls is performed by rotating both screws simultaneously. Lateral tilting of the yoke and rolls is done by moving both screws axially. Longitudinal tilting of the yoke and rolls in a vertical plane is done by rotating either one of the screws. The guide members can each be formed of two parts, a cylindrical part and a separate bearing block.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures ill hill/l PATENTED [1E6 5 3. 704,6 1 5 F .mhil fl' jiiihiilnilili'm ll FIG. 1.

FIG. 4.

INVENTOR.

CURT MUNCHBACH ATTURNE 5 SHEET AND STRIP FLATTENING MACHINE This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application, Ser. No. 791,979, filed Jan.17, 1969 now US. Pat. No. 3,626,736.

This invention relates to a flattening machine which comprises an adjustable set of lower rolls and serves to flatten sheet metal elements and strip.

In machines for flattening sheet metal elements and continuous strip, it is known to provide for adjustment of an upper and/or lower set of rolls. By a vertical adjustment, the roll nip is adjusted according to the gage of the sheet metal so that adequate flattening is obtained. The sets of rolls must also be inclined in the direction of travel of the strip so as-to diverge in said direction because the sheet metal should be strongly worked at the receiving end. This working should be almost eliminated near the outlet so that the sheet metal on one side can be flattened by a stretch flattening effect produced on the other side. In the known flattening machines, difficulties are involved particularly in the lateral tilting because it involves a reduction of the projected length of the rolls so that the latter tend to pull out of their bearings.

In a flattening machine which comprises an adjustable lower set of rolls and serves to flatten sheet metal elements and strip, the above mentioned disadvantages are eliminated, according to the invention. A yoke carrying the lower set of rolls is laterally guided and has conforming recesses by which it is mounted 'on two vertically and laterally adjustable guide members each of which is a segment of a cylinder. The vertical and lateral adjustment of the guide members on the operators side and on the drive side enables vertical adjustment or tilting or lateral inclination of the lower set of rolls with respect to the upper set of rolls. Positioning motors driving adjustment screws can be controlled by a single operator.

Each guide member has an upper cylindrically curved portion which is a section of an axially horizontal cylinder centered between vertical guideways joined by a horizontal frame base. The guide members have inclined bottom faces defining a V-shaped bottom surface. The guide members are supported on respective pairs of wedges having inclined upper surfaces. The wedges in each pair thereof can be moved toward and apart from each other by turning a transverse screw, so that the guide members move vertically. Selective adjustment of either pair of wedges cause the yoke and lower set of rolls to tilt in the longitudinal vertical central plane of the machine. This tilting movement is made possible by horizontal arcuate guideways formed in the frame base and supporting the wedges which have rounded bottoms slidably supported in the guideways. The guideways are cylindrically curved sur-. faces whose axis of generation coincide with the axis of the transverse adjusting screws of the wedges. The use of vertical screws common in prior sheet and strip flattening machines is avoided. The adjustable lower set of rolls of the flattening machine, according to the invention, is snugly guided without backlash, so that a better flattening action is obtained than is possible with conventional machines employing vertical adjustment screws.

The transverse screws for moving the wedges may be arranged to be rotatable in opposite directions for vertical displacement of the lower set of rolls. The transverse screws may also be laterally displaceable for displacement of the wedges causing a tilting of the lower set of rolls. Operation of one at each end or side of the machine may thus be sufficient to produce all three movements.

' ble wedges. The lower curved surface of the cylinder rests in an upper cylindrically curved surface formed in the bearing member.

Embodiments of flattening machines according to the invention are shown by way of example in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing a first illustrative embodiment of a flattening machine according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top diagrammatic view of an adjustment screw and associated parts of the machine.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing parts of another flattening machine according to the invention.

Referring first to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a flattening machine having a generally rectangular frame 21 formed with vertical laterally spaced guideways 21', joined by a massive upper bridge 21" and an integral horizontal base 20. An upper set of horizontal rolls 22 is supported by bridge 21 A lower opposing set of rolls 23 is supported at the top of a yoke 25 which is guided at both sides by inner sides 24.0f vertical guideways 21 Yoke 25 is formed with a bottom cylindrically curved recess or recesses 25 The yoke rests on a pair of guide members 26 at opposite sides or ends of the yoke. Each guide member has an upper surface 26' which is cylindrically curved. The bottom of the guide member is formed with angularly inclined surfaces 26" so that the bottom of each guide member is V-shaped. Each guide member rests on upper inwardly inclined faces 29' of a pair of laterally spaced wedges 29. There are two pairs of wedges respectively disposed at opposite ends or sides of the yoke. Each pair of wedges 29 is arranged for lateral adjustment by means of a trans verse screw 28. The screw has screw threads R and L of opposite hand respectively engaged in the wedges of a pair for moving the wedges toward and apart with respect to each other. The screw is turned by a motor 30 having a hollow splined drive shaft 31 driving a splined shaft 28 at one end of screw 28. Rotation of the screw causes vertical adjustment of the yoke and lower rolls as the wedges 29 are brought closer together or moved further apart.

To enable tilting of the lower rolls and yoke in a vertical plane transverse to the longitudinal central vertical plane P of the machine, there is provided a pair of drive motors 32 each having a hollow internally threaded shaft 33 engaging the threaded end of a shaft 34' secured to a bearing 34 engaging flanged end 28" at the other end of screw 28. By driving motors 32,

screws 28 are moved axially and wedges 29 are moved laterally along with screws 28. This movement is made possible by two arcuate guideways 35 formed in the upper side of frame base 20. Each one of wedges 29 has a curved bottom surface 40 slidably disposed in one of guideways 35. Each guideway 35 supports one pair of wedges 29. The cylindrically curved guideways have inner surfaces whose axis of generation coincides with the axis of transverse screws 28 as clearly shown in FIG. 2. By this arrangement when the wedges 29 move laterally in guideways 35, the entire yoke and lower rolls tilt in a vertical plane transverse to longitudinal vertical plane P. 5

A tilting movement of yoke and rolls 23 in vertical plane P is effected by rotating only one of the two screws 28. This will cause the wedges 29 of a single pair to be drawn closer together or moved further apart. The effect will be to raise or lower one end of yoke 25 and rolls 23. The wedges 29 at each end of the yoke will rotate in the guideways 35 around screws 28 to make this tilting movement of the yoke and rolls possible.

It will thus be apparent that three adjustment movements are possible by aid of screws 28, namely, vertical adjustment by moving both pairs of wedges closer together or further apart,'tilting in a longitudinal vertical plane by turning one screw 28 to raise one end of the yoke and rolls, and by tilting in a transverse vertical plane bymoving screws 28 axially by means of drive motors 32. A single operator can control the four positioning motors 30 and 32 to effect all three adjustment movements of the yoke and rolls.

' In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4, yoke 25a is carried by a pair of guide members each of which consists of a cylindrical part 36 having an upper curved surface portion-nested in a curved recess 25a formed in the bottom of the yoke. The lower part of the guide member is a bearing block 37 having an upper curved recess 37 in which the cylindrical part 36 rests. The bottom of block 37 is formed with inclined faces 37" arranged in a V-shaped configuration and slidably seated in upper inclined faces 39 of wedges 29. Wedges 29 are adjusted by rotatable and longitudinally movable screws 28 as in the "embodiment of FIGS. 1-3.

Other parts of the assembly of FIG. 4 corresponding to horizontal direction by an upper connecting bridge and by a lower frame base having a horizontal upper top surface formed with horizontal guideways extending in said horizontal direction; upper rolls carried by the connecting bridge; two guide members each having a cylindrically curved upper surface and-inclined angularly disposed bottom surfaces arranged in a V-shaped configuration, said guide members being centered in a vertical plane which is transverse to saidfirst horizontal direction and centered between the vertical guideways;

a yoke disposed between and in slidable engagement with said vertical guideways and formed at opposite sides of said frame with concave cylindrically curved bottom surfaces conforming to and resting on the curved upper surfaces of the two guide members respectively; a set of lower rolls extending horizontally transversely to said first direction and carried by the yoke for cooperation with the'upper rolls; two pairs of wedgeshaped members carrying the guide members at opposite sides of said frame, each pair of the wedge shaped members having bottom portions slidably disposed in the horizontal guideways, and having upper slanted surfaces respectively slidably engaging the inclined bottom surfaces of a guide member; two screws extending in said first horizontal direction and respectively threaded into each pair of wedges for moving the wedges of each pair thereof toward and apart from each other; and means for moving the screws and wedges together in said one horizontal direction, so that the yoke and lower rolls can be moved vertically by rotating said screws, so that the'yoke and lower rolls can be tilted in said vertical plane perpendicular to said one horizontal direction by rotating one of the Screws, and so that the yokeand lower rolls can be tilted by sliding the wedges in the horizontal guideways.

2. A sheet and strip flattening machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the last named means comprises motor means operatively connected to the screws for moving the same axially.

3. A sheet and strip flattening machine as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said guide members comprises upper and lower parts, the upper part having a cylindrical form with a cylindrical upper side disposed in a curved bottom surface of said yoke, the lower part being a bearing block having an upper curved recess receiving the lower side of the upper part, the inclined angularly disposed bottom surfaces of the guide members being defined by V-shaped bottom surfaces of the bearing blocks.

4. A sheet and strip flattening machine as defined in claim 1, wherein each one of said screws has portions of oppositely threaded hand respectively engaging the wedges of each pair thereof for moving the wedges toward and away from each other when the screw is turned. 

1. A sheet and strip flattening machine, comprising a frame having vertical guideways spaced apart in a first horizontal direction by an upper connecting bridge and by a lower frame base having a horizontal upper top surface formed with horizontal guideways extending in said horizontal direction; upper rolls carried by the connecting bridge; two guide members each having a cylindrically curved upper surface and inclined angularly disposed bottom surfaces arranged in a V-shaped configuration, said guide members being centered in a vertical plane which is transverse to said first horizontal direction and centered between the vertical guideways; a yoke disposed between and in slidable engagement with said vertical guideways and formed at opposite sides of said frame with concave cylindrically curved bottom surfaces conforming to and resting on the curved upper surfaces of the two guide members respectively; a set of lower rolls extending horizontally transversely to said first direction and carried by the yoke for cooperation with the upper rolls; two pairs of wedge shaped members caRrying the guide members at opposite sides of said frame, each pair of the wedge shaped members having bottom portions slidably disposed in the horizontal guideways, and having upper slanted surfaces respectively slidably engaging the inclined bottom surfaces of a guide member; two screws extending in said first horizontal direction and respectively threaded into each pair of wedges for moving the wedges of each pair thereof toward and apart from each other; and means for moving the screws and wedges together in said one horizontal direction, so that the yoke and lower rolls can be moved vertically by rotating said screws, so that the yoke and lower rolls can be tilted in said vertical plane perpendicular to said one horizontal direction by rotating one of the screws, and so that the yoke and lower rolls can be tilted by sliding the wedges in the horizontal guideways.
 2. A sheet and strip flattening machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the last named means comprises motor means operatively connected to the screws for moving the same axially.
 3. A sheet and strip flattening machine as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said guide members comprises upper and lower parts, the upper part having a cylindrical form with a cylindrical upper side disposed in a curved bottom surface of said yoke, the lower part being a bearing block having an upper curved recess receiving the lower side of the upper part, the inclined angularly disposed bottom surfaces of the guide members being defined by V-shaped bottom surfaces of the bearing blocks.
 4. A sheet and strip flattening machine as defined in claim 1, wherein each one of said screws has portions of oppositely threaded hand respectively engaging the wedges of each pair thereof for moving the wedges toward and away from each other when the screw is turned. 